N.C. Man empties .45 on brat's laptop!

[PhantomOfTheBumpside]

Actually, I was working to save the thread. Attacking a forum member is unacceptable conduct under the TRS code of conduct.

I was a marine for 10 years. I don't think about it anymore. I don't have any pride in my service to my country. I have a lot of pride in my job as a leader, which I was a good one. The problem for me is, I can't begin to explain to anyone my experiences, both in combat and in training. Any slight talk of it would be brushing lightly over it. 10 years is a long time and in that time there are books and books worth of experiences, people killed, friends lost, giant victories over minor sounding little things. I could give you a chapter on sleeping wrapped in a poncho in a frozen tire mark in Korea--one night out of 3,500 nights. People want to sum you up in a few minutes, but it's not that type of thing. I prefer not to talk about it at all because I don't want to cheapen it. Do you understand what I mean? The person forged through whatever I have endured and overcome is right here in this seat. People that know me personally, know who I am, and I don't tell them stories either. I am who I am and my past has made me this. I've certainly no need or desire to spat about it on a web page. Trying to guess my military occupation, to me, is a sign of comparing me to you. I don't give a shit about that. You keep your own crap inside you and I'll keep mine inside me and we'll just be who we are. My rewards these days come from what my 5 children do, not what I do.

My 11 year-old today gave a speech at his school about my father's biography. He was the last of about 12 kids who did this as part of the Valentine's program, and he totally outclassed the other kids. My dad is funny as hell and gave him a lot of good material in the interview, and I'm a writer and helped him set up up in an organized way,but his delivery was better than I could do by far. The other kids mumbled into the microphone and could barely be heard. My son gave jokes with perfect inflection, had them laughing all the way though and got a deafening ovation at the end. This is the boy I thought was growing up to be an idiot. I was in tears and had to look away because I was embarrassed to be so. This does not happen to me on Veterans Day. That's the type of thing that is important to me--not what I, or you guys, did a million years ago.

Attack? All I did was ask some questions in an effort to prove or disprove someones veracity that was already in question by other, established, members here. I guess I am the terrorist now? That's ok.. I understand the technique. Single out an adversary for scorn to turn attention away from larger issues, build a feeling of consensus and use that to push a predetermined agenda making it appear to be democracy in action.

Maybe we should bring back corporal punishment?

I knew a few guys that were under a lot of pressure to make rank before they ran out of time.. up or out. They tended to be tightly wound, at least until they actually did make rank... I wonder what it would have been like for them if they hadn't been able to stay in? All Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines have stories to tell, many and varied... most of the ones with hard, painful, impossible memories find consolation or solace in finally sharing those burdens with those that are most capable of some understanding. They also have a tendency to be protective of their community of brothers and while they accept easily for the most part, when their defenses go up, someone needs to diagnose, diffuse and disarm. Sometimes that isn't pretty.

I spent two winters in Korea, 87 and 88. Presidential scandals and civic unrest leading up to the Olympic games, plus an idiot soldier who killed a Korean cab driver made things a bit more dangerous than usual when just trying to have a bit of down time. The usual being the stuff that caused alerts all the time, but never was publicly acknowledged (at least not until Clinton spilled the beans). I seem to remember that III MEF and III MAF were over for Team Spirit those years (I think it was III MEF in 87 & III MAF in 88 but hey I'm getting old and my brain has some dead spots), it was cold both years.

I could tell plenty of stories myself, about stupid things that happen, friends that shouldn't have been training accidents, LT's that really stepped on it, petty politics, food poisoning and why a 25 mile road march isn't a good idea when you are still recovering from said food poisoning, fun rusty items on the DMZ, crazy Charlie with the recovery rope belt and his midnight sing song extravaganza, turning the Claymores around the guard shack back to their correct orientations every morning after Charlie's routine, watching NK's go into a certain building that no one ever seems to come out of, infiltrators? what infiltrators? The SK guard shack that got pounded to hell by NK's... oh wait, that was a flock of birds that caused that alert, again... on pass watching the interaction of the clueless with the traumatically clued-in... seeing which were partying too hard because they were trying to get it out of their memory, and those who were partying because Korea was a party and alerts are just a minor inconvenience... enough of that though...

Congratulations on raising a fine bunch of kids.

As far as you, and your stories that are too valuable to simply brush against... Thank you for your service. You seem to be a decent wordsmith, so, write that book, get it out, share. I'll even buy a copy, because, not only did I serve to protect things like freedom of speech, I care about what you have to say, even when I may not agree with you.

 

[PhantomOfTheBumpside]

ya i came back in and made the post a lot shorter and less spacifice. i tryed proof reading it and could not make any sence of it. the typing was too bad. im hammered right now so forgive me if none of it make any sence. i was an 81mm mortar gunner.

Heh... no problem... I can drink out of a can without wiping it off, eat my sandwich without washing my hands, know what a b* that damn plate is to carry around and I am fluent in grunt.

A lot of stuff has changed around Benning in the 15+ years between you and me.. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't recognize every thing I was talking about, it was geared toward the specific time period in which I and Chief Cat served.

BTW.. 75th RGT HQ was next door to TSB. The parking lot was to the west outside of the fence across the road... They didn't have a DFAC so they used TSB's. TSB (The School Brigade) was also HQ US Army Infantry Center and School (later 11th INF RGT, TSB). The whole area is different now... there was a parade field to the south where we used to play foot ball and polish up our rides.. looks like housing now... most of the trees are gone from between the 6 similar buildings in the area and there is another new building in the middle.. with the slight angle on the sat view I can barely make out the window of my old room, across from the stairwell and next to the latrine, on the second floor looking down at the yard between 75th RGT and TSB. The fence is moved and cars are now parking between the buildings.

Who's Mike? The old statue at Benning was usually thought to be Iron Mike... it was some kind of weird fiberglass composite that got a bit worn... they made a bronze version and moved the old one to the museum.

 

[mud junky]

i had a feeling iron Mike was what you were talking about when you asked who mike was. never saw one on benning, exept on sand hill. we did have one at the main gate at FT. Wainwright AK. bronze for spring, summer, and Fall. and an ice sculptur of him for the winter months.

 

[hoosier1104]

I apologized in a PM. I was wrong for doing it and manned up.

Sent from the front seat of my Ranger using Tapatalk.

 

[doorgunner]

You guys still trying to ******.....errrr....figure one another out......

did I ever tell you about the pork n beans...

there I was taking a break opening up a can of beansnfranks while we were flying around and around and around....

as I knawed.....gnawed my way into the can I noticed the beans were losing their color...

deeper into the can the beans were solid white

then the beans got smaller & wrinkley

then the small wrinkley beans all had a brownish-red dot on one end of them

then I lost my appetite...............



MAGGOTS!


(there....i feel fulfilled now...even though it was a million years ago)

 

[straycat]

I apologized in a PM. I was wrong for doing it and manned up.

Sent from the front seat of my Ranger using Tapatalk.

My newst buddy. We are good to go, Eh? lol

 

[Xandor]

I dont even know what would have happened to me a a kid if I had done that?

I seriously think my dad would have drove me a state away and droped me off in some town and told me to call him when I thought home wasnt so bad.

 

[doorgunner]

I would have gotten spanked with Mr. Black (his black leather belt) until I pee'd on myself. Then I would have NEVER made that mistake again!

By the way..it has mentally scarred me for life..........